Phoenix Ascendant
by darksidhe42
Summary: While Harry is going through the Tri-Wizard Tournament, Sirius gets it together. When Harry returns from school, Lord Black is ready to claim his rights and obligations, but he and Harry will both have some adjusting to do. Pranks! Parties! Motorcycles!
1. Return to Privet Drive

Authors Note:

My first Harry Potter fanfic. Please be gentle with me! This takes place after the Goblet of Fire, and anything prior to the end of that book is true and real. Just don't assume anything about anything you find out in OotP and beyond.

Thanks to SensiblyTainted, the best Beta, for being patient with me. Without her, this wouldn't be the same story!

CH 1: Return to Privet Drive

Harry sat in the back seat of Uncle Vernon's car, scrunched over as far as he could to get away from his cousin with his uncle's seat leaned back against his knees. He stared out the window at whatever was passing by, but didn't see any of it. He'd not had an easy life these last fourteen years, but just recently he'd gone though a trial that trumped everything prior. In his mind, chaotic phrases and images surfaced at random.

_Crucio!_ He was at Hogwarts. **Master… forgive us! **Bone of the father… _guest of honor…_ Wands out, d'you reckon? _Bertha Jorkins…_ **I said BOW!** It begins – and ends – with our young friend here. _Imperio!_ **… for I had no body…** Now untie him, Wormtail, and give him back his wand. **Kill the spare! **

"BOY!"

Harry snapped out of his trance and rapidly shook his head to clear it. He felt his uncle's spittle on his face and saw the corpulent visage inches from his own. "Uh... Uncle Vernon?"

"Quit your daydreaming and get out of the car!" He shouted at Harry. "Get your rubbish out of the boot and put it into the cupboard! Now, Boy!"

Oh. They had arrived at the house. Not home- never home. But they were at the place Harry lived throughout the summer.

"Yes sir," Harry answered, as he climbed out of the car. His aunt and cousin had already gone into the house, and he sighed as he went around to the back to get his trunk. His uncle stood in the drive, watching him, his arms crossed over his chest. He wasn't going to leave the freak alone with his Mercedes. No telling what unnaturalness he might get up to.

Harry grunted with effort as he tugged his luggage out of the boot. He almost overbalanced and fell, pulling it down on him. Then he dragged it to the front steps as quickly as he could. His uncle was not a patient man, and Harry did not want to push him any further.

Harry paused at the first step leading up to the front door, panting for breath.

"Oh, for pity's sake!" Vernon shouted, stomping over to Harry.

Harry flinched back, but Vernon didn't seem to notice. His uncle grabbed the handle on one side of the trunk and marched up the four steps, dragging it behind him. Harry winced each time the end dragging on the ground slammed into the next riser. Hopefully his potions kit and the other breakables in the trunk were padded enough... Vernon then dragged the trunk down the hall and threw it into the cupboard under the stairs. Thoughts of nasty potions components leaking all over his books and robes drifted though Harry's head, soon giving way to memories of a graveyard...

"BOY! Wake up!" Harry had been standing in the drive, staring into space again. "Get that bloody owl inside!"

"Yes, Uncle." Harry scrambled to get a birdcage out of the back of the car. A snowy owl gazed up at him. "We're here, girl."

"HOOT."

B R E A K

After three days of sitting on his bed, playing a version of fetch with Hedwig, Harry felt a little restless. He would toss a de-charmed quaffle into the air and, just before it hit the floor, the owl would swoop down and snatch it, then drop it in Harry's lap. The fact that he had his familiar at all was a surprise. Vernon told Harry the day he arrived that if he would promise to keep the "ruddy bird" inside and quiet, and only let her out late at night to hunt, she could stay in Harry's room. Otherwise Vernon would set her out somewhere on the other side of London. Of course, Hedwig was a post owl and wouldn't have any problem finding Harry again, but Harry didn't see any reason to tell his uncle that when he was being almost civil.

He'd stayed in his room for the most part the last three days. His uncle and aunt didn't seem to have much for him to do. Petunia's garden had been featured in one of the little local papers, so she mostly busied herself out there now, not wanting to take the chance of Harry messing it up. Harry thought it was nice seeing her get her own hands dirty for once. She also went to Mrs. Druthers's house for tea each afternoon.

Strangely enough, Dudley had not been hanging out with his old gang so far this summer. On his first day back, Harry had heard Dudley and Piers Polkiss shouting at each other on the front lawn. It got so bad that Uncle Vernon had to go out and stop them. Dudley and Vernon had argued after dinner every night, too. Harry was just glad that everyone was leaving him alone. So far, this had probably been the best summer he'd ever had. He'd never gotten along with his relatives very well. As long as his Aunt and Uncle were ignoring him, they weren't yelling at him. Besides, it was kind of fun to see Uncle Vernon and Dudley go at it.

Harry had just thrown the ball and Hedwig was midair when the door opened. Dudley walked in, then fell back in fright, trying to get out of the bird's path. Harry couldn't help it. He burst out laughing at his cousin, pointing his finger and grabbing his side. Dudley stood up, hands clenched into fists at his sides, and began to stomp towards the other boy.

Harry dug his heels into the mattress, pushing further up the bed, trying to slide away from Dudley.

Dudley glared at him. "You have a piss-poor idea of what's funny!"

Harry shot back, "If you could see the way you looked, you would have laughed too!"

Dudley turned and walked over to the window. He looked out for a moment.

Glaring at his cousin, Harry stood. "Well," he demanded. "What do you want?"

"I dropped those goons I used to chum with," Dudley muttered.

"So? Why are you telling me? Do you want a metal or something?"

"I also started boxing. I'm really quite good at it." Dudley's voice was even quieter now.

Harry rolled his eyes. "That's just what we need."

Dudley spun around to look Harry in the eye. "Look, I've laid off, all right? I haven't bothered you at all this summer!"

Harry snorted at that. "Dudley, the summer is less than a week old!" Harry looked closer at his cousin and asked, "What is it you want?"

Dudley fidgeted for a moment. "I need your help."

Harry couldn't help it. He tried not to laugh again, but it just came out. As he laughed, he felt his rage and frustration begin to boil over. "What? You want _my_ help? That's a bloody laugh!" Harry was yelling now. "After the way you've treated me! Do you remember 'Harry Hunting?' Cause I sure as hell do! Go piss up a rope, Dursley!"

Dudley's face darkened. He stepped up to Harry, and grabbed him by the shoulders, slamming his back into the wall. In Harry's mind, he was back _there_ again, held against the tombstone. He started frantically striking at Dudley, trying to free himself from the bigger boy. Dudley was saying something, but in his panic Harry couldn't hear it. Finally, in desperation, he tried to claw at Dudley's eyes.

Dudley was shocked at the way Harry overreacted. "Just calm the hell down!" Dudley yelled. When Harry's clawed fingers went for his face, Dudley dealt a swift left hook to Harry's gut and stepped back, dropping him.

"Pathetic, Potter," Dudley spat. "Without your stick, you're nothing. Just stay here and cry about your boyfriend, if that's what you want. If you want to learn how to hit, come talk to me." He turned and walked out, leaving Harry on the floor clenching his stomach.

Hedwig flew down to the floor next to Harry. As he groaned, she moved a little closer and rubbed her face against his.

"What was he talking about, Hedwig?" Harry whispered, setting up.

Hedwig hopped up onto his leg and looked him in the eye, cocking her head from side to side. Harry leaned on one arm and stroked his familiar. After a while, he sighed. "The dreams, I guess. He must have heard me. I wonder what he meant about learning how to hit. I can't imagine Dudley helping me with anything. Heh. I can't imagine _wanting_ his help with anything."

Hedwig let out another soft trilling hoot and nuzzled Harry's palm. A loud bang announced Harry's aunt coming in the front door. A minute later she walked into Harry's room. She glared at Hedwig as she said, "Put that _thing_ away, and get downstairs. You need to unload the groceries from the car and put everything away. Now!"

He sighed and obeyed. He typically went through the garage, simply because it was the shortest route. When he went into the garage, he was left gaping at the sight of his cousin in a pair of gym shorts and a tee-shirt lying on a bench, struggling with a huge barbell. After watching Dudley go at it for a few minutes, Harry shook off the surprise and started bringing the groceries in.

Every time he passed through the garage he watched Dudley. The boy was really pouring his heart into lifting the weights. It only took Harry three trips, and the food was put away quickly. When he was done, he slipped back into the garage, closing the door behind him.

Dudley was trying to put the barbell back on the rack above him, but his arms were trembling and he was having a hard time. Not wanting to see Dudley seriously hurt, Harry ran over to help him. Dudley looked shocked. He sat up and pulled a pair of earbuds out of his ears. Harry could faintly hear some sort of rap music.

"Uh, thanks," Dudley said as he sat up. "I guess that's why they say you need a spotter. So, change your mind?"

Harry looked around. "Where did all this come from? It looks-"

Dudley interrupted Harry. "Yeah, it's used. It's not exactly what I need to train, either, but it's all Mum would get me. Da said no to anything at all." Dudley scowled.

"Hey!" Harry realized, "I thought that when you were training as a boxer, you didn't do weights?"

Dudley glared at Harry. "First, that wasn't my max. You still get tired. Second, what do you know about it anyway?"

"Um... yeah. Nothing, I guess. Why boxing?"

"None of your bloody business!" As he walked over to the cooler and got a bottle of water, Dudley seemed to reconsider. "Well, it's embarrassing," he said quieter.

Harry rolled his eyes. "Does it have anything to do with why Piers buggered off?"

Dudley picked up a couple of small dumbbells and handed them to Harry, then picked up two more for himself. "Come on," he said. "I'm not interrupting my workout just to talk to you." He opened the outside door and started jogging down the street.

Harry scrambled to catch up. "What about your Mom? I'm sure she has other things for me to do."

Dudley tossed his head in a kind of shrug as he settled into his pace. "Who cares? Besides, she's at the Druthers' for tea."

They jogged for a few minutes in silence, then Harry said, "Well? What's up with you? This is just strange."

Dudley replied slowly. "Well... There's this bird."

Harry stopped running and laughed. "I don't believe it! A girl. Oh, let me guess? She makes you want to be a better person?" Harry laughed again.

Dudley stopped running and turned to face Harry. He just stood there for a second, eyes downcast, and shuffled his feet.

"Shite, Dudley!" Harry wasn't sure what to say. "You're serious? Damn."

Dudley shrugged. "I dunno, Harry. She's just... I don't know. Piers tried to feel her up a couple times. She just laid him out on the floor. Like, some kind of ninja shite. Like a Bruce Lee movie. And she's pretty. Hot, too, but more pretty. And smart."

Dudley gestured for them to start running again. After they'd found a rhythm, Dudley continued, "She don't like me, though. She thinks I'm rubbish. I guess she's right."

Harry nodded. "So that's why you aren't chumming around with the same blokes? And why you're trying to be nice to me?"

"No. Well, partly. It's why I'm not with that crowd anymore. I'm trying to be nice to you cause I need your help and I think you could use mine."

"That's the second time you said that. What do you want?"

"Well, you saw me with the weights. To do it right, you need a spotter. And to hold the bag, and the mitts, and stuff like that."

Harry glanced at Dudley. He could understand how his cousin would do something like this out of self interest. He thought about the graveyard again- about how it wasn't like in class. It was all running and hiding. If he remembered anything about boxing, it was all about footwork and dodging. That could be a lot of help. If nothing else, being in shape would make running away easier. Besides, Harry could just see himself walking up to his rival, Draco Malfoy, as he ranted on about the Dark Lord, and just knocking him out with one punch.

"Okay, Dudley. I'll help you, if you train me."

"Deal." Dudley beamed at Harry.

'Funny,' Harry thought to himself. 'He's not nearly as ugly or stupid-looking when he smiles.'

B R E A K

Meanwhile, in London...

"I don't care, Albus! I am his godfather, and he WILL stay with me. You never heard about that WOMAN! Lily hated her. My competency hearing is tomorrow, followed by the lawsuit. You can either have the Blacks in the Order, or I will do what I can to destroy it. We both know I'd rather be with you, but DO NOT PUSH ME!"

Sirius Black was a tall, spare man with long raven black hair and piercing eyes. As he ranted, he strode back and forth across the threadbare rug in his study. His cloak billowed out behind him, much more typically like the cloak of his childhood nemesis, Severus Snape.

Said nemesis rolled his eyes and leaned back in a wingback chair, crossing his arms. "As I am sure you realize, it is pointless to argue with the cur whilst he is mid-rant. Believe me, Headmaster, the last thing on this earth I would desire is to find myself in accord with him, however…" The sallow, lank haired man paused here, seemingly lost in thought. "I believe the wards on the brat's house will no longer be effective. The dark lord was resurrected using his blood."

Sirius whirled on his heal to face Snape. He was about to unleash another tirade when he realized that the other man had agreed with him. He closed his mouth as he turned to look at the third man in the room.

Albus Dumbledore sat seemingly composed. His aged hands were steepled in front of his face. After a few tense seconds of silence, he spoke. "Perhaps…" A pause.

Sirius seethed, wishing the damned old man would just get out with it!

"Perhaps you are right. After all…" At this point, a familiar twinkle showed in the old man's eye. "It is so seldom that you two agree on anything. This could be good for Harry, but his family will need protection as well."

Sirius exploded again. "I don't give a bloody damn what happens to that lot!"

Dumbledore smiled slightly behind his thick beard. "You may not, but Harry will. He is such a sensitive boy. If anything unfortunate were to occur, you know how he would take it."

Snape rolled his eyes again. "Potter does seem to think to much of his influence and capabilities. There is no doubt that the insufferable little-" Snape was cut off as Sirius grabbed him by the collar of his robes with a growl and jerked him out of his chair.

Holding Snape's face an inch from his own, Sirius growled out, "Shut the ruddy hell up, Snivellus!"

A single drop of sweat ran down Snape's face. Keeping eye contact with the mongrel, he slowly slipped his hand into the opening in the side of his robe, grasping the wand in the holster at the small of his back. He was just about to hex the mongrel insensate when Dumbledore broke the tension.

"Boys! Boys, behave yourselves or I will separate you." Dumbledore had his wand in hand and was standing now. Neither man had seen him move.

Sirius dropped Snape into his chair and spun around in disgust, walking to the other side of the room. He leaned against the mahogany paneled wall near a bookcase, a smile on his face. "So, Harry is coming here, then." All trace of aggression was gone as if it had never been.

Snape straightened his robes, glaring at Black. "That man is still unstable. Prison does things to one's mind, Headmaster. He is in no shape to be the guardian of any child."

"Severus," Dumbledore said gently. "Sirius has made much progress with his therapy over the last few months. If our esteemed Ministry sees fit to grant him competency, who are we to gainsay them?"

Snape shifted his glare to the old man, raising an eyebrow questioningly. Before either of the other men could comment, however, Dumbledore resumed.

"Now, unfortunately, my boy, I do not believe that this house would be a suitable home for the child. Nor would it do as a hideout for his Muggle relations."

Sirius looked aghast at the idea of the Dursleys in his home. He didn't have anything against Muggles in general, but he'd met Petunia and Vernon at James and Lilly's wedding. He couldn't imagine a less pleasant couple, magical or not.

Dumbledore went on to say, "Not only is this place too steeped in dark magic that neither Harry nor his family are prepared to deal with, but if I accept your offer to use it as the headquarters of the Order..." The headmaster trailed off here, leaving Sirius to work out the details himself.

The Order of the Phoenix. Yes. A paramilitary group dedicated to vanquishing He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Members were drawn from all parts of Wizarding society. Quite a few were a little rough around the edges to say the least. They were not the kind of company that Sirius wanted his godson to keep. Add to this the fact that Harry had a... call it a talent for finding trouble. Well, that wasn't fair, Sirius thought. Harry just saw what needed to be done and did it, regardless of what it cost him. If he lived where the Order was to meet, there was no doubt in Sirius's mind that the boy would know everything that the Order knew- and he would do what he believed was right. He certainly was James's son.

"Okay, I see your point. I'll have Eloise start looking for a suitable place." Sirius smiled wryly.

"And his family?"

"Fine."

B R E A K

On the peaceful street of Privet Drive, Little Winging, Surrey, it was a typical lazy Sunday afternoon in early July. The birds and the bees carried on with whatever distasteful activities they did, which were definitely beneath the notice and dignity of the residents. Off in the distance, one could make out the drone of a lawnmower. As one drew closer to number four, however, the discordant sounds of heavy metal music could be heard, blaring out of the garage. Inside that garage, two teenagers, stripped to the waist, were sweating heavily.

Harry Potter tossed his head to try to fling his sweat drenched bangs out of his face. The hair stayed plastered to his forehead. His cousin Dudley Dursley grunted as he struck the pad Harry had strapped to his left hand with a gloved fist, then twisted and hit the pad in Harry's other hand with his other fist. The stopwatch around Dudley's thick neck started beeping. Both boys dropped their arms. Dudley collapsed in a folding metal chair. Harry went over to the radio and hit the stop button and then opened up an ice-chest and grabbed two bottles of water. He tossed one at Dudley as he flopped onto his own chair. After a minute, Harry spoke up.

"So, what's her name?"

Dudley looked up from where he was mopping his face with a towel. "Lonnie."

Harry grinned. "Tell me again about her and Polkiss."

"Okay. Well, it's lunchtime. He comes up behind her, right? And she's there in her sweats and all. Just got in from track. And Piers comes up, and he just grabs her arse. Full on palm squeeze. I'm all about it, and like, grinning like a bleeding perv. And her arm snaps down and grabs his wrist and she spins. Before we know what's going on, Piers is flat on his face and she's got her knee in his back, and his wrist all locked up behind him. Then she gives me this look, like she knows I dared him to do it and stands up and walks out of the caf without eating. She was so pissed." While Harry was snickering, Dudley checked his watch. "We only got a bit till Mum gets home." Dudley observed. "Your go."

He tossed the boxing gloves to Harry. Shortly after, the two boys were at it again. As the endorphins kicked in, Harry's mind drifted off. He and Dudley had been training together for two weeks. Weights, cardio, even agility exercises. Dudley was actually a very good physical trainer, but Harry figured it was because he was so pushy anyway. One thing was for sure, though: he couldn't deny the results.

He was bulking up! As part of their deal, Dudley felt compelled to make sure Harry got plenty to eat. He would often find something wrong with his meal and pitch a fit, refusing to eat it. That usually led to Harry getting the "unsuitable" portion.

Besides just putting on weight, Harry found that he was getting more coordinated. He'd always had good reflexes and a knack for knowing when to duck, but he found the more he worked his body, the more it did what he wanted it to. It wasn't anything major yet, but then, he'd only been at it for a couple of weeks.

Another difference that Harry noticed was the way he got on with Dudley. After he adapted to the work out, it started to feel good. It was hard to snip at someone when everything felt that right. He didn't want to say he was friends with his cousin, but he was starting to like him a little.

Before he knew it, the stopwatch beeped.

"Time," Dudley called. "Mum'll be back in a bit. You get first shower."

After his shower, Harry started mopping the foyer and hallway, one of the few chores his aunt gave him. Dudley came downstairs a few minutes later. Although they were learning to get along, neither of them wanted Dudley's parents to catch on, so Dudley still acted like an arse whenever his parents were around.

Dudley went to the front door, walking right across where Harry was mopping. Harry glared, but he didn't say anything.

"Mum should be home any time," Dudley said, looking out the window. Then something outside caught his attention.

"Bloody hell!" he muttered, pressing his face to the window.

"What?" Harry demanded. When he looked out the window, he saw the longest car he'd ever seen idling by the curb in front of the house.

"It's a Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow stretch limo!" Dudley almost yelled.

Harry had just enough time to wonder how Dudley knew that much about what kind of car it was, then he saw a gaunt figure in a thee piece suit get out of the back of the car. Harry muttered, "Holy shite! It's Padfoot."


	2. Obsidian Nova Enterprises

Beta: SensiblyTainted

CH 2:Obsidian Nova Enterprises

Vernon Dursely slid his company car through the light mid-afternoon traffic. He snarled in anger at the clear early-summer sky. His car was two years old! Well past time for a new one. But NO! As director of the Grunnings plant in London, Vernon's income and bonuses were tied directly into the plant's revenue. When the plant ran poorly, Vernon's bonus was lackluster. When the plant operated at a loss, his bonuses were cut completely. This was the second year running in the red. So he drove an old car and cashed in on some investments to keep up with the neighbors. There was no way he was going to let that sod at Number Seven put new siding on his house just to make the Dursleys look bad. No sir, not at all. And when that old bat who Petunia had tea with invited them to the opera, how could they just not go? They had to, which meant he needed a new suit, too. What good was a tailored suit that looked off-the-rack after the wearer put on just a couple extra inches at the waist? Vernon had to look like a successful manager to be a successful manager. Poor Dudley couldn't get the equipment he needed to succeed, either. That really got up Vernon's nose! His poor tyke was being deprived because his bosses were so tight with the profits of the company _he_ helped create!

So when a representative for a company called Obsidian Nova Enterprises called on his personal line to set an appointment with him to discuss his future, he jumped at it. It was so very strange, though, that the CEO of the company wanted to meet him right off. And even stranger that he wanted to meet at Vernon's home – in the early afternoon, no less. Something was fishy about the entire thing, but that didn't mean it would be bad for the Dursleys. Vernon had been involved with a few fishy deals in the past. How else could the ambitious son of a working class family rise as quickly and as far as he had?

Vernon's train of thought was derailed as he turned onto Privet Drive. A long white limo was parked directly in front of his home! So much for subtlety. He wasn't sure he wanted to get involved with someone who would be that blatant. Actually, blatant displays of power were Vernon's thing, but if word of this got out, he would have a difficult time trying to explain what was going on. He didn't want Grunnings to know he was seeking other options until he had made a choice.

Then Vernon noticed the last thing he wanted to see. As a man stepped out of the back of the limo, his freaky nephew opened the front door and bolted towards the man. Vernon panicked, screeched to a halt in the driveway, and leaped from his car. Or at least, that's what he tried to do.

The fat man got his ankle tangled in the seatbelt as he scrambled from the car. Yanked off balance, he fell to the pavement. His chin struck hard, and a world of pain seemed to explode around him. After a moment, he was able to shake it off, and rose quickly to his feet. His mouth filled with warm, salty blood. He looked around and saw the boy mercifully standing near the front door of the house. The man from the limo, however, was looking at him. For a brief moment, Vernon thought he saw a smirk, but then it was gone.

The man walked over to Vernon, holding out his hand. "Mr. Dursley? How do you do? I am Mr. Black."

Vernon's mouth was still filled with his own blood. He couldn't spit it out with Mr. Black right in front of him. He closed his eyes tightly and swallowed, trying not to gag. Then reached forward to shake the other man's hand. "A pleasure, sir." Oh, it hurt to talk, too. And one of his teeth was loose. And his tongue was still bleeding. The boy was going to pay for making him do that!

Sirius suppressed a smile as he saw the man push down his embarrassment and discomfort. That was the funniest thing he'd seen in a while. When Harry dashed out of the house, Sirius had been able to catch his eye and shake his head, causing the boy to wait by the door. Sirius never anticipated Mr. Dursley's reaction to Harry almost greeting the Dursleys' guest, though.

"Come," he said softly. "Let's go inside. We have a lot to talk about." He was a little concerned about the way the fat man was weaving on his feet. As Vernon led him down the walk to the door, Sirius pulled out his wand behind their backs and muttered a minor healing spell. Mr. Dursley would be so much easier to deal with if he didn't have a pounding headache or loose teeth.

B R E A K

Petunia turned quickly away from the window and dropped the curtain as she heard the toilet flush. She walked back to her chair and sat on the edge, her back ramrod straight. She lifted her tea cup to her mouth and slurped most of what was left. When her hostess came out of the washroom, Petunia stood up, smiling at her. She walked across the room.

"Lydia, it was wonderful, as always," she simpered, grasping the other woman's hands and smiling even wider. "I'm afraid that I had forgotten, but Vernon has company this afternoon. I simply must get back to the house. I look forward to next time, though, dear!"

"Oh! Of course! Of course, dear. Go on." Lydia smiled back at Petunia, giving her hands a friendly squeeze. She walked Petunia to the door and opened it for her. As soon as Petunia was gone, she ran to the window and peaked out just in time to laugh out loud at Vernon Dursley falling out of his car.

Petunia walked as quickly down the street towards her home as dignity would allow. It was only a few houses down and across the street. She didn't reach the house in time to hear the men greet each other, but she was less than ten meters away when the visitor in the suit pulled out his wand and did something to her husband behind his back. Petunia's eyes narrowed. 'We'll just see about that,' she thought. 'I'll not have another freak under my roof.'

As Vernon led Sirius through the house, he started to feel a bit better. "Let's retire to the drawing room," he said.

Sirius looked around. He was not impressed, to say the least. As he walked past the cupboard under the stairs he felt what could almost be a cold breeze, only there was no physical wind. Sirius knew something bad had happened there. Something involving a wizard. Something involving his godson. He was already poorly disposed toward the Dursleys, but his regard toward them just nosedived further.

Vernon seemed to pick up on the change of mood. With a forced chuckle, he turned towards Sirius. "Well, Mr. Black, here's our humble drawing room. Can I get you a drink? Scotch, maybe?"

"Fine. If you have anything decent. Make it a double, neat," Sirius demanded tersely.

"It's Highland Park," Vernon muttered, walking over to the bar in the corner of the living room. He glanced over at Sirius in time to see him nod. He poured two glasses and handed one to Sirius.

Sirius tossed back the drink, and the men sat in silence for a second. From where he sat in the living room, he could hear some commotion down the hall at the front door. 'The aunt,' he thought. 'And it sounds like Harry. Good, I hope he'll keep her occupied. I don't need her in the middle of this.'

After a minute, the silence got to Dursley. "So," he blustered, "a bit odd, meeting in the middle of the afternoon, isn't it?"

Oops. It wasn't strange for the elite of the Wizarding world to meet like this. Of course, they all knew each other socially, as well as through business. Hmm... better be aggressive to cover it up.

"Never mind that, Mr. Dursley. I've been informed that the drill business isn't quite as profitable as it was in the past. It seems things are a little tight for comfort." Sirius eyed the front of Vernon's shirt as he said this. Vernon shifted uncomfortably. Inside, Sirius was cracking up, but he kept the pureblood lord-of-the-manor act going. It seemed to be working better than he'd hoped. This was a piece of cake!

Petunia slammed open the drawing room door and ran in with Harry close on her heals. She seemed shocked to see the two men sitting calmly, discussing something over drinks. "Vernon!" she said, obviously distraught, "He's one of them! He's a freak! I want him out of the house now!"

"Bollocks! Oh well," Sirius muttered. He pulled out his wand and made a few vague gestures, while muttering, "Incarcerous, Petrificus Totalus." In an instant, Vernon was bound to his chair while Petunia snapped to attention, her arms straight at her sides, and stood as stiff as a board. Dudley ran into the room just in time to see the spellwork.

"Wicked!" Harry whispered.

"Mum! Da!" Dudley yelled. "Make it stop, you freak!" He advanced towards Sirius, hands clenched into fists. As Sirius started to point his wand towards Dudley, Harry jumped between them.

"Dudley, this is my godfather. He hasn't hurt them, only held them still. We can sort this out." Harry glanced at Sirius.

Sirius said, "Okay, everyone calm down. You, kid." He nodded at Dudley. "Sit down. Harry, you, too." Sirius stared at the boys until they sat down in a pair of armchairs. Sirius sat on the couch. "Now, Harry, I know Albus may have said some things to you a few weeks ago, but just forget all about that. How would you like to come live with me?"

Harry just stared at Sirius.

"Well, not the response I'd hoped for," Sirius muttered. Then Harry knocked the wind out of him as he ran up to hug his Godfather.

"Really, Padfoot? I can stay with you? I don't have to stay here anymore?" Harry's voice was muffled as his face was pressed into Sirius's chest.

"Yeah, pup. You can stay with me." Sirius stroked the boy's hair.

"I'd love it! But..." Harry trailed off for a minute. Sirius simply waited, and Harry tried again. "How? I mean, aren't you on the run? Do you have a house? What about Voldemort?"

Vernon was tied to the chair, but his mouth was still free. "What's all this about, then? Why all the rubbish of wanting to meet with me? Just take the boy and get out!"

"Well, it's like this, Dursley: Harry is a target in a war in our world right now. It's the same bloody arse and his crew that killed his parents."

Everyone glanced at Petunia as she hissed. Her jaws were locked together by Sirius's spell. Vernon looked at Harry with a very strange expression on his face.

"Not only is he a target, but so are you because you're his family. The wanker in charge of the other side doesn't care that you don't like each other very much. He can't stand your type anyway, and if there's a chance it'll hurt Harry, he'll go for you in a heartbeat."

"Our kind?" Vernon almost shouted. Dudley overrode him.

"What do you mean, 'go for us?'" he asked.

"Well, he'd have you killed. But first, probably, they'd play with you a bit." Sirius's tone was short and his face was starting to turn red with anger.

Harry broke in. "You really don't want to know, D." Vernon and Petunia both looked at Harry, shocked at the familiar way he'd addressed their son.

"So don't flip, pup," Sirius said, back under control. "But I figure you lot would come with us. Stay at my place. We'd keep you safe. The kid could keep on at school. I'd set him up a bodyguard. Mr. Dursley, you pointed out earlier how odd the scheduling for this meeting seemed. I can triple your pay if you'll advise my people on how to run business in the mug- er... in your society. How would you like a life of leisure? Just putting in time on the links or whatever. Drop out of life, like we used to say."

Petunia couldn't move much, but her eyes were wide open and she seemed to be trembling with the need to shout. Vernon cleared his throat. "Um, Mr. Black? If you please?" He nodded towards the ropes restraining himself.

"Finite," Sirius muttered, gesturing towards Vernon. The ropes binding Vernon to the chair slackened and fell as Vernon rose to his feet. He walked over to Petunia, turning his back to everyone else in the room.

He gently stroked her cheek with his thumb, then cupped her chin in his hand and softly said, "Pet? We have to. You understand, don't you? For Dudders." Petunia whimpered, still unable to speak through Sirius's spell. Vernon looked over his shoulder in supplication. With a sigh, a flick of his wand and a muttered spell, Sirius released the binding.

"Vernon, I just can't. I would rather die than be like them." Petunia broke down in tears. Vernon cuddled his wife against his chest.

Muttering, "We'll be right back. Dudders, stay in here for a mo," Vernon walked Petunia out of the room.

Sirius helped himself to another glass of whiskey. "We have some things to discuss, too, pup. But I'm glad; we'll have all the time we need, now."

"Padfoot, what's going on?" Harry asked.

Sirius grinned. "Well, it's a long story, pup. But basically Professor Dumbledore and an old school chum of mine got me some help. I went through some counseling, and some other boring stuff, while I was on the continent. I was able to get Amelia to promise me a temporary stay of execution, and my solicitor set up a lawsuit against Fudge for wrongful imprisonment. The PR was enough to get me a new trial, and some veritaserum, and Bob's your uncle, I'm cleared. I'm the head of the House of Black, now. Joy." This last part was said in a dry, sarcastic tone. Sirius knocked back his drink. "But it does give me some political power." He paused for a second and gazed into Harry's eyes. "And some obligations," he finished.

Harry sat near Sirius and said quietly, "Do they have to come with us? Isn't there something else we can do with them?"

Sirius shook his head. "I'd like nothing else. I remember them at your parents' wedding. They were right burks then. I guess they've only gotten worse, but I know you wouldn't want anything to happen to them. Besides, you seem to be getting along with that one." Sirius nodded towards Dudley.

They were both talking softly, but Harry's reply was quieter still. "It's not like that. He needed help with his training." At Sirius's questioning look, Harry clarified, "Boxing, you know?" Harry made a punching gesture in the air. "And I got decent meals and some workout time out of it."

"Harry, there's nothing wrong with growing out of your dislike for someone."

"Oh?" Harry interrupted. "What about you? What about your 'dislike' for Snape?"

Sirius sounded a little frustrated when he said, "Professor Snape and I are learning to work together for the greater good, Harry."

"Well, it's not like that." Harry glared at his Godfather. "You don't know! You can't just come in here and say.. and..." Harry couldn't speak around the sobs now. He turned away from Sirius and hid his face in the blanket on the back of the couch.

"Naw, Prongslet," Sirius put his arms around the boy. "Shhh... It's okay."

Huge sobs were wracking Harry's body now. "You- you weren't here. You were never around. When Cedric... I couldn't..." Harry pulled out of Sirius's arms and turned away from him, hugging his own legs to himself and curling up in a ball. "Never there... I'm always alone." Sirius could barely understand Harry now. "He took my blood! Mine! I was helpless... I brought him back. I fought him. We dueled. I ran! I ran away! My fault."

Sirius rubbed Harry's back, making nonsense noises as he tried to comfort the sobbing teen. Harry just kept on. "You weren't... you can't just come in and say... you can't... you weren't..." Harry was past all semblance of sense now, crying incoherently.

"Hey, Prongslet. Harry. Shh. Hey, pup, it wasn't your fault." Sirius had never felt more helpless. He was used to action. He needed an enemy he could fight. Not this. He looked down at his best friend's son. He'd failed James. Now he was failing Harry.

He pulled the child to him, hugging him tightly, and rocking softly back and forth.

After a few minutes, Harry had cried himself out. He pulled away and looked Sirius in the face. "All right, then. Well..." he said.

Then the two wizards noticed Dudley in the corner, staring with wide-open eyes.

"If anyone says anything," Harry started with a glare.

"It never happened," Dudley said at the same time.

Harry sighed. "Whatever. So what's next?"

"Next, I go and check on your uncle and aunt. I thought greed and fear would be enough to get them to stay with me. Your aunt, though... I forgot how she was."

Harry looked at his godfather in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Never mind, pup," Sirius said, slapping Harry on the shoulder.

B R E A K

A short while later Sirius followed Harry up to his room. As he walked in, Harry could see the man's shoulders tense as he took in the battered furniture and threadbare sheets.

Sirius spoke in a clipped tone, "This is where you stay during the summer?"

Harry shrugged. "It's not too bad. At least I wasn't locked in this time around."

"Locked. In." Sirius looked at the cat flap in the door. He then walked around the room with his wand out, muttering softly under his breath. The tip of his wand seemed to blur as Sirius slowly waived it in front of himself while he completed his circuit of the room. He glared at the window, which still had the mounting brackets for the bars that were on Harry's window last summer. Finally, with a flourish of his wand, he muttered a powerful summoning spell.

Harry had not had time to smuggle anything from his trunk to his room yet. In fact, not much at all that was his was actually in his room. When Sirius summoned "all Harry's stuff", though, the floorboard leapt out of the way and a few broken quills and scraps of parchment flew out and towards him. Hedwig's cage slid across the floor and stopped at his feet. At the same time, they heard Petunia shriek from downstairs. A second later, Harry's trunk knocked the bedroom door down as it flew in and slammed to the ground next to the wizard.

"Whoa!" Harry muttered in awe.

Sirius smirked. "A bit better than the 'accio' you learned in school, eh? I must be losing it a little, though. What about your clothes?"

Harry shrugged. "Everything I like is in my trunk. The rest... well..." Harry held his arms out and glanced down at himself, then back up at Sirius, rolling his eyes and grinning slightly.

Sirius sighed. "You know, it's getting harder and harder for me to be a nice guy. Remind me that we're the good-guys."

Harry laughed. "Well, I am, anyway, but I've had my aunt and uncle living in fear of you for a couple years now."

Sirius burst out laughing. "Oh, Harry!" He sat on the bed, holding his belly, laughing. For the first time, Harry saw him smile with nothing cynical or ironic in his expression. Sirius looked... young, free... Harry resolved to make him look like that more often.

"Too right, Prongslet! I'll make you a Marauder yet!"

"Well, first off, _Prongslet?_ No. That has to stop." Harry smiled to take the sting out of his words, but he said it very firmly.

"Harry, I can't call you Prongslet? Are you serious?" Sirius asked.

"No, you are!" Harry shouted through his laughter.

Sirius lost it again, rolling on Harry's bed. "Too bloody right!" He stood up. "Damn, Harry, I haven't laughed that hard in..." Sirius got a far-away look in his eye. "A long, long time," he finished quietly. He stood up, rubbing his back. "That bed!" He made a gagging sound. "Just wait till you see the place Eloise picked out! We have it all set up. It's a combination of Muggle and Wizard, in London, near the ally. You have your own little suite of rooms. You'll love it!"

"Eloise? Who's that?" Harry asked in a teasing tone.

"Eloise Midgen. She's my personal assistant. You know, helping me keep appointments, running errands, washing my bike," Sirius answered.

"Personal assistant? Wait! WASHING YOUR BIKE?"

Sirius shrugged and grinned impishly.

Harry did remember Eloise Midgen. She was a Hufflepuff in her seventh year last year. She was seventeen, a little chubby, and pimply, with greasy skin and hair. Harry was a little ashamed that he couldn't remember anything else about her. "Sounds like a great place, anyway. When can I move in?"

"Depends on your aunt and uncle. If they're willing, I'll get my house-elf to take care of all the packing and such here, and everyone will come over tomorrow. If not, you'll move in today."

"What? That's not fair! Why should I have to wait?"

"One night won't make a difference. It's only because it's so late now. We'll never get everything ready in just a few hours. But if it's just you going then I can leave and not worry about coming back."

Harry glared at Sirius. "That's bullshit!"

"Harry!"

Harry went on with his rant. "I don't want to stay here. I hate it here! I've always hated this house, and I don't want to live here even one more day! It doesn't make any sense! Why can't I move tonight, and they can come if they have to tomorrow."

Sirius sighed. "Because. There are wards- protective spells cast on a home- that are based on you living where your mother's family lives."

"A home? This isn't my home! This is a prison!" Harry yelled.

"I know, pup. That's one of the arguments I used on the old man to help me get you out of here."

Harry looked confused.

Sirius continued, "Because you never thought this was _your_ home, the wards just weren't as effective as they should have been. That's also another reason why your aunt and uncle need to live at my place."

Harry took a deep breath, then let it out slowly. "Fine. Whatever. It's only one more night."

"Good show." Sirius slapped Harry on the arm. "Now, about those clothes..." He stared off into space for a moment, then started incanting, waiving his want in elaborate motions. In a few moments, Harry's clothing started to shift and change on his body. It was a strange feeling, to say the least.

When the wizard was done, Harry was wearing a long sleeved black button-up shirt with no top two buttons. The collar was stiff and came to longer points than Harry was used to seeing. His jeans had changed into some kind of slacks that poofed out at the bottom, also black, and his shoes were just strange.

Sirius looked at his charge and raised his eyebrows as if to say, 'Well?'

Harry snickered. "It's alright, I guess. But it looks like something out of the seventies."

Sirius rolled his eyes. "Try to show a little style and look what appreciation I get." After a little more spellwork, Harry was wearing a pair of jeans, a black tee-shirt, and sneakers.

Harry laughed. "Much better. Thanks!"

B R E A K

After Sirius left Harry's room, he went off to check on Petunia and Vernon. Pulling out his wand, he muttered a tracking spell and followed it to the master bedroom. He paused for a moment before casting a listening charm. What he heard surprised him.

The first thing Sirius heard was Vernon's voice, very firm. "...going to go with him. Just think of what they can do... about the worst you told me about. Now think of your son."

Petunia sounded on the verge of hysteria. "I don't want to be around it. I won't have Dudley around it. I don't care."

Vernon interrupted. "You DO care! You have to. I've followed your lead with your sister's boy. We've tried to avoid it, but it's come after us. I am not going to put my wife or son at risk. Pet, don't you get it? You need to learn to deal with it."

"I can't! Don't _you_ get it? Every time I see one of those abominations doing it, I see red. I just want to hurt them and hurt them till they can't do any more!"

"That's enough!" Vernon was almost shouting now. "You WILL stop it. If I need to, I'll take Dudders and go without you. Maybe you can hide alone. My son will be safe, Pet. I don't care how many freak arses I have to kiss to make sure. I think they can keep him from you, too, if they have to. Is that what you want? IS IT?"

Sirius glared at the bedroom door. He was really beginning to loath the Dursleys. What he'd seen in the house today disgusted him. They needed Petunia for the blood wards, though, and for the protection to work right, she had to live in a place she could consider home. Otherwise, the protection wouldn't be any better than it was here. At least, Harry would be happier and healthier either way. Sirius could just barely hear soft voices through his spell. He poured a little more power into it and made a few small adjustments. Soon, he could make out the words again. It was Petunia, and Sirius thought he could hear tears in her voice.

"...that she was so special... and she had it all... and they loved her more... it was always, 'Lily is so special. Lilly is _magical_.'"

Vernon, softly, "We have a good life, Petunia. Things have been a little tight the last year or two, but we have a very nice house, and three cars- two of them through the company- and the garden club and a country club membership. Dudley is going to a very good school and taking up boxing. He's a fine young man. We're ahead of the game, Pet. Who cares what your parents thought of that sister of yours? They're gone, and she's gone. You need to worry about your own family. Keeping you and Dudley safe matters more to me than avoiding that... tripe. And this Black bloke is well off. He has a job for me to do among our own type, dealing with our kind for him. Good pay, a nice house. Why can't we take advantage of that?"

Sirius shook his head. He knew all about Petunia from Lilly. Most of Gryffindor Tower knew about Petunia. She was hardly a unique person, and it wasn't a unique situation for a Muggleborn. Petunia was the kind of woman who divided everyone into two groups: The Haves and The Have Nots, then placed herself firmly into the Haves category. When she found out that her sister Lily was born with something she didn't have and couldn't fake... well, it wasn't pretty.

He ended his eavesdropping spell and walked down the hall quietly, making his way to the kitchen. Vernon sounded like he had a handle on things. If not, Sirius would just have to use a little creative mind-magic on Petunia. She was not going to jeopardize Harry.


	3. The Alley

Beta: SensiblyTainted

CH 3:The Alley

Harry ended up spending one last night at Privet Drive. By the time the Dursleys agreed to move, it was close to eight that night. It was now mid-morning and Harry was sitting in the foyer, staring out at the street, waiting. Finally, the limo from yesterday pulled up in front of the house.

Harry opened the door and tore across the lawn. As Sirius stepped out, Harry latched onto the man.

Sirius smiled down at the young wizard. "I packed everything for you last night. Are you ready?"

Harry nodded. "I have everything by the door."

"Alright. Let's get it all in the car. I'll have to have a word or two with your uncle before we leave, though."

Harry signed and nodded. Just then, the driver who was dressed in a chauffeur's uniform came around to them.

Sirius said, "Harry, I'd like you to meet Bert Aubrey. He's my driver and tries to keep me out of trouble. He'll help you load your stuff."

Aubrey held a hand out to Harry. "I'm glad to finally meet you, Mr. Potter." Aubrey was of average height and build with close cropped hair.

"Um." Harry shook Aubrey's hand. "Glad to meet you, too. Just Harry, though, please."

"Of course, Mr. Potter." Aubrey said. Harry rolled his eyes and missed the smirk that came and went on Aubrey's face.

"Now, Mr. Potter, let's get your possessions loaded."

Sirius barked out a laugh. Harry spun and glared at him. "What's so funny?"

Grinning, Sirius shook his head. "Nothing. Nothing at all. Now let's get started."

As Aubrey went inside to get Harry's trunk, he said, "Mr. Potter, I can get all of this loaded, if you'd like a few moments to yourself."

Harry hardly thought that his trunk and Hedwig's cage qualified as "all this" but he didn't comment. Instead, he walked around the house towards the kitchen door. He gazed out at the tool shed, then looked over Aunt Petunia's garden. He was confused. He knew a normal person would be sad for leaving the place they'd lived most of their life, but with the kind of life he'd led here, he thought he should feel ecstatic over finally being freed from prison. He really didn't feel much at all. He was just kind of... numb.

As he stood in the back yard of number four, he drifted off in his mind again. The warm summer sun was replaced by a chill gloom. **The feel of cold stone on his back... **_burning sensation in his arm _**- ****the metallic taste of fear... **NO! Harry shook the feeling off. He wasn't going to think about that. Not today, of all days.

He walked into the house. Hearing his aunt, uncle, and godfather talking in the living room, he decided to avoid that part of the house. Feeling very ambivalent, he slowly approached the cupboard door. It felt different from before. The air seemed thick- almost greasy. He almost smelled something rotten and his stomach twisted in protest. Gagging, Harry closed his eyes tightly and pressed his hands on the door, leaning on it for support. Unnoticed by the boy, a bright white light flashed around the doorframe, as if someone had set off a camera flash in the cupboard.

Grinding his teeth together, he opened the door and stepped inside. The first thing he did was prop the door opened with an old shoe. He pushed his way past the coats hanging in front and the empty place his school trunk usually spent the summer. In the back of the closet, though, Harry got a shock. There was nothing left from his time in there. Vernon had long since cleaned out the storage area, making it into what it had always been meant to be - just a place to put things and forget about them. Harry also noticed that feeling of _wrongness_ seemed to be gone. In fact, there was no sign at all that a very alone, unwanted, and scared Harry Potter had once lived there. That was just the way Harry wanted it.

After he regained his composure, Harry went into the living room where everyone else was talking.

"Ah, Harry!" Sirius said. "Are you ready? My staff will be here shortly to pack the house, and your Aunt and Uncle want to stay to direct them. I figured we can go spend the morning in the Alley, and bring back lunch, pick everyone up, and go to the new house."

Petunia and Vernon exchanged looks at the idea of Vernon's new employer going to spend time in some alley. Harry's eyes lit up at the idea. Dudley pushed his way from between his parents.

"I'm," he started, then paused and tried again. "Can I come with you?"

Petunia's face was strangely blank, but Vernon spoke up. "Dud, d'ya really want to go with them? They're probably going to a place filled with... well, you know."

Dudley turned to glare at his dad. "It's dull here! All my stuff is going to be packed soon. I wanna go!"

While Dudley was yelling at his father, Sirius glanced at Harry, raising his eyebrow. Harry shrugged, then nodded.

Sirius said, "It's fine with me, as long as he knows to behave."

Dudley blanched for a moment, then looked up at his dad. "Please, Da! His car's a Silver Shadow!"

"Actually, it's a Silver Spur," Sirius corrected.

"What's the difference?" Vernon demanded. But Dudley just stared, his eyes bugging out slightly and his mouth hanging open.

"I imagine your son could tell you. Once he recovers, that is."

Vernon turned and looked at Dudley. "Oh, fine! If Mr. Black says it's okay. Just be sure to mind him. I don't want you coming back with another tail!"

Sirius raised his eyebrows. "Tail?"

Harry snickered. "Tell you later."

The three walked out to the limo and climbed in. Harry, who'd never even seen pictures of the inside of a car like this, was surprised. Dudley, who knew about what to expect, was shocked. The inside of the car was huge! It was at least twenty feet wide, and longer than that. The front left quarter of the room was taken up by a small dance floor. A wet bar was in the opposite front corner. Along the back wall was a large leather sofa, with end tables on each side. Two humongous reclining chairs were on the right wall. Harry and Dudley both jumped into the recliners.

Sirius settled on the couch, and said, "Diagon Alley."

Harry couldn't feel the engine start at all, and the only way he even knew the car was moving was by looking out the window. After a few seconds, he heard a voice he recognized as Aubrey's.

"Invisibility Booster is activated. Portkey in thirty seconds, sir."

"Brace yourselves, boys." Sirius advised.

Harry closed his eyes and tensed up, grinding his teeth at the thought of what had happened the last time he'd portkeyed. A cold sweat quickly covered his body. He refused to show any outward sign, though. He didn't want Sirius to pity him. He gripped his wand tightly just in case.

Dudley just said, "Huh?" and looked confused.

All of a sudden, the world seemed to twist around Harry, and he felt a hook somewhere deep in his guts pull him off in some strange direction. For a moment, everything went black, then he felt himself falling. The air around his was very cold, and there was a strange sort of pressure against his skin. He opened his eyes, and couldn't see anything. Panicking, he opened his mouth to scream, only to roll over and vomit. He was laying on the floor of the limo. He could feel the carpet under his hands, taste the sour bitterness in his mouth, smell the- 'Oh no!' he had time to think, right before he got sick again.

Harry felt Sirius's arm around him, and something cool wiping his face clean. 'Hm. That's nice,' he thought. He took the rag from Sirius and wiped his face clean, as he heard Sirius mutter, "Evanesco.

"Harry? Are you okay?'

Harry nodded. After a second, he said. "Yeah. That was... different."

Sirius shook his head in puzzlement. "Have you ever traveled by portkey before?"

"Yeah. Last year. This time it wasn't like that at all. I felt the pull then I was falling. Everything was black."

Sirius spoke in a slightly louder voice now, "Aubrey, check on that for me." Then he opened a cabinet and pulled out a couple of wizard's robes. He muttered a resizing charm as he waived his wand over one, which he then passed to Dudley. He gave the other one to Harry, then he gestured at his own clothing and a very nice set of casual robes appeared on him. With that, Sirius opened the door and helped Harry out.

"Those cloaks have a mild Notice-Me-Not charm woven into them. Not enough to keep people from seeing you, but I hope it's enough to keep them from recognizing you," Sirius explained.

Dudley got out of the car after them and stopped, staring around him with his mouth open. Diagon Alley was just the way Harry remembered it. At least, it seemed to be at first. Something was off about it. Harry couldn't put his finger on it, though, and Sirius didn't seem concerned.

The three spent the morning walking around the alley. Dudley hung back behind the others, watching everything and flinching anytime anybody glanced at him, but as the morning went on, he began to relax.

Eventually they found their way to Quality Quidditch Supplies. As Harry and Sirius walked around the store calling to one another and talking excitedly about the sport, Dudley just looked more and more lost and confused. Eventually, Harry realized this and took pity on him. He pulled his cousin aside. "Look, here's what it's all about." Harry started to explain all about quidditch. As he was explaining, he walked through the store, until he got to the section with books. He pulled out a simple playbook and continued to explain to Dudley when he noticed the bigger boy was distracted by the moving pictures.

"Looks like you have another winner, Potter. You just can't seem to pick decent friends, can you?" The voice cut through the rest of the noise in the store. Harry looked up to see two of his schoolmates sneering down at him.

Theodore Nott was relatively quiet. He didn't bother Harry or his friends much at school. The boy standing beside him, though, seemed to think that he was Harry's arch-enemy. Draco Malfoy leaned casually on the wall, his posture emanating confidence.

Harry glared, coming to his feet. "Stuff it, Malfoy!"

"Eloquent as always, Potter," Malfoy said. He already had his wand out and was fiddling with it casually as he spoke. "I swear, your new one looks even dumber than Goyle."

Harry slid his wand from his back pocket as he said, "Where are your goons, anyway? They get smart and finally bugger off?"

Draco glared and was about to say something else when Nott put his hand on his shoulder. "Let's go," he said softly. "I don't like the clientele here."

Draco inclined his head. "Later, Potter," he said, spinning on his heel and walking out of the store.

Dudley looked at Harry. "Who were they?"

"Just some berks I go to school with." Harry led Dudley to the front of the store where Sirius was chatting up the clerk.

When Harry told Sirius about what happened, he seemed to think it was much more important than Harry did. "Okay, let's make for the Cauldron. Harry, keep your wand out, but don't look like you're expecting anything. I've just signaled Aubrey. He's waiting with the car on the Muggle side."

"Why? What's the big deal? And how did you signal anyone?" Harry wanted to know.

"Sons of Death Eaters. You met their dads."

Harry nodded. "But what difference does that make? Malfoy's dad is dangerous, but he's really not much of a threat." His voice dripped with derision.

"I just have a bad feeling," Sirius explained.

Harry thought about it for half a second. Something did feel off about the entire area today. He'd gotten used to it as they broused, but now that he was paying attention, it was back full force. "So do I. Let's go."

The three progressed down the alley towards the Leaky Cauldron with Sirius in the lead, then Dudley, and Harry bringing up the rear. They walked quickly but casually, giving the appearance of someone running a little late. As they neared their destination, Harry tripped and stumbled towards an alley. 'An alley in the alley? Is that still what it's called?' he had time to think, giggling to himself, as he was grabbed around the shoulders by a shadowy figure and pulled further in.

Dudley saw a flash of light near Harry just as the young wizard faltered and fell into the alley. Dudley changed directions and ducked into the side street in time to see two figures in gray cloaks. One was holding Harry, and the other was pressing a wand into his side. Bugger! Harry was the only one watching out for him in this freaky place! He couldn't let anything happen to him. He tackled the wizard holding the wand on Harry. Straddling the wizard, he pulled his fist back to knock the man out when a bright light struck Dudley. The fat teen was knocked off the wizard and into the wall of the alley with a sickening crunch. He collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

From the mouth of the alley, Sirius muttered, "Reducto!" as he pointed his wand at the downed wizard. Before that spell hit, he also cast a quick stunner. The first spell destroyed the target's wand- and most of his right arm. The second cut him off before he could start screaming.

The man holding Harry spun him around, held him close, and pressed his wand to Harry's head. "Alright, Black, just stop right there if you don't want to see his brains splattered all over!"

Sirius stopped moving. He looked into Harry's eyes. The child's eyes seemed to be rolling in his head at times even looking in different directions. That couldn't be good.

Another wizard in gray, the one that blasted Dudley, pointed his wand at Sirius as he maneuvered for a clear shot.

"Wow, Sirius! Didja see what ya did? His arm sploded!" Harry said animatedly.

Harry was under a confundus charm. Sirius needed to buy some time. Hopefully Harry was too powerful for the charm to affect for long. "Okay, buddy, you got us," Sirius said, holding his arms out to the sides, his wand gripped loosely.

"Too right, we do!" the second wizard spat. "Now, why don't you just drop your wand and back up, eh?"

Sirius glanced around quickly, knowing he couldn't drop his wand.

Harry stiffened and muttered, "What the..."

The wizard holding him tensed his wand arm, about to cast a spell. Harry drove his heel into the man's foot, throwing him off balance, just as Sirius dove to the side and shouted, "Expelliarmus!"

The spell hit Harry and the wizard both, flinging them to the ground. At the same time, a spell thrown by the second wizard passed through where Sirius had been standing. Sirius hit the ground in a roll, came up, and snarled as he dived at the second wizard. In mid-leap, he became a humongous black dog. He lunged at his target who was able to throw an arm between the gaping jaws of the dog and his throat. Sirius clamped his jaws down on the man's arm.

Harry recovered quicker than the wizard that had held him. In an instant, he was back on his feet, pulling his wand from his back pocket. He shouted, "Stupefy!" at the gray-cloaked wizard.

Harry's target barely managed to roll out of the way as he frantically scrambled for his wand. He launched another stunner, and again, the wizard managed to dodge. Harry took half a second, grounded himself, and seemed to feel a wave of tranquility wash over him as he brought the target into his sights and calmly stunned him just as he picked up his wand.

He turned, just in time to see a bright curse knock Sirius off the prone wizard. Three more gray cloaked wizards were at the opening of the alley, wands drawn, and were advancing slowly. Harry stumbled over Dudley's unconscious body as he tried to reach his godfather.

Sirius resumed his man-shape, clutching his ribs. "Harry! Take this. Map password. Take your cousin." With that, he flung a muggleish ring of keys at Harry.

"Sirius! No!" Harry yelled.

"Stop him!" one of the gray wizards shouted.

"Now!" Sirius's tone of voice was so commanding that before Harry realized it, he was bracing himself and his cousin for portkey travel.

He looked into Sirius's eyes, then softly muttered, "I solemnly swear I am up to no good."

The portkey still felt wrong. When the spell lifted, Harry had time to see fine hardwood flooring inches from his face- right before he got sick all over it. Then he passed out.

B R E A K

Harry slowly awoke with a sour nasty taste in his mouth. His head was laying on a warm, soft pillow. He felt something else warm rub his chest, which he realized was bare. He opened his eyes in panic, only to see the most beautiful blue eyes looking down at him with warmth and concern. He quickly closed his eyes again, shocked. 'Okay, let's try that again,' he thought. He was about open his eyes when he heard a soft, feminine, and very pretty giggle. He opened one eye. The blue eyes were still there. Opening both eyes wide, he stared, with his mouth hanging open, till he heard another very pretty giggle. Wow. He shook his head to clear it.

He looked away from her face, down to his chest. She was cleaning him off with a soft sponge. Sighing, he relaxed and sunk back into the soft pillow. Pillow? Harry thought about the angle the face hung above him at, then about where the hand was coming from. That meant that the pillow was...

Harry scrambled out of the girl's lap and up to his feet, slipping around a little on the hardwood floor and blushing all the way from the tips of his ears down his bare chest. As he did, he heard the pretty giggle again, coming from the pretty girl. He also heard someone else howl in laughter. He spun, reaching for his back pocket to draw his wand. He felt helpless for a second and was starting to flip out when he recognized the man.

"Professor Lupin!" Harry yelled.

Remus laughed again. "Please, Harry. Remus. Call me Remus."

The sound of the girl rising to her feet behind him made Harry realize he was still topless. "Um..." he looked around, crossing his arms and rubbing his upper arms. He didn't see his robe, cloak, or shirt anywhere. He was suddenly very happy that he still had his jeans on.

"Oh, yes," Remus said with a smile. "This is Eloise Midgen. She's Sirius's personal assistant."

Harry stared. This was _not_ the girl he remembered.

As Remus introduced her, Eloise muttered a conjuration under her breath and waived her wand. A shirt appeared a few feet above Harry and slowly drifted into his hands. "Glad to finally meet you, Harry," she said softly.

'Merlin!' Harry thought. 'She has a pretty _voice,_ too!' Then Harry snapped out of his daze. "Sirius! He needs help! We were ambushed at Diagon Alley."

Eloise shook her head. "He got away, Harry. In fact, he could have gotten away at any time. He just wanted to make sure you and your cousin got out. He'll be here shortly."

Harry sighed in relief. "What about Dudley? He took a hard hit."

Remus rushed to reassure Harry. "A very mild concussion and some severe bruising. He should be perfectly fine in an hour or so."

"And how do you know Sirius is okay? Where is he?"

"I know he's okay because he's already checked in. We have a set of magic mirrors that let us talk across long distances," Remus explained. "He just wants to settle things with the Aurors."

"Now come on!" Eloise whined, bouncing on her toes. That sure got Harry's attention fast! She grabbed his hand. "I'm supposed to show you around!"

Her hand felt soft and warm in Harry's and a little moist. And very tiny. Harry was extremely conscious of this as he followed her out of the entry hall and into the house.

She indicated a door to her right. "That goes to my office and Remus's, and to the big library." She pointed to two doors on her left, and said, "Those go to the reception room and drawing room."

As the tour continued, Harry came to realize the house was huge and mostly decorated with big heavy leather and oak furniture and lots of warm colors. The rest of the ground floor consisted of a couple of public rooms, dining rooms, various "rooms for the servants, like the kitchen and pantry," and what Eloise called the "Dursley suite" which was almost a separate apartment with two bedrooms, a drawing room, a den, and a kitchen.

The first floor had Sirius's study, Harry's study, a room called the tiny library, a living room, and a billiards room, among other rooms. Harry thought that it was funny that the so-called tiny library had more books than the big library. Eloise explained that it was because the library on the ground floor was for entertaining guests in an intellectual atmosphere, and the tiny library was situated to be accessible to Harry and Sirius's offices.

The second floor consisted solely of bedrooms. There were about twenty of them. Most of them were actually suites with a small kitchenette, a setting area, and a bedroom. Upon seeing Harry try to make sense of how everything fit together, Eloise giggled at him again. "It's all Ng space."

"All what?" Harry asked.

"Ng space. Nth dimensional space. Erm... Muggle raised, right. Well, you know how some trunks and bags are bigger on the inside than the outside?"

"Well, yeah, I guess..."

"Okay, I'm not McGonagall, but here's the basics. If you picture space as an array of five-dimensional loci-"

"Huh?" Harry looked even more confused.

"It's magic," Eloise said.

"Oh, I get it. Cool," Harry answered.

"It's just bigger on the floors we want to be bigger. And the rooms I think are cool I make even bigger," she went on.

"Okay." Harry said.

"And when we have guests spending the night, I can turn rooms into suites if I need to."

"Okay! I get it," Harry interrupted.

Eloise smiled sheepishly and shrugged.

"So, um-" Harry started, then paused. "I have a study. I've never even had a bedroom before."

"Oh! That's... Well, let me show you where your room is. Top floor. It's just you and Sirius. She led Harry up one final flight of stairs to a small landing with three doors. She said, "That's the attic, and that's Sirius's rooms. And these," she said, throwing opened one of the doors, "are your rooms!"

Harry wasn't sure what to expect, especially after the limo and the rest of the house. What he saw blew his mind. The door opened into a richly appointed sitting room. A fireplace dominated one wall and a huge set of double doors on another led deeper into the suite.

Harry just gaped at the room, but Eloise smiled and, taking his hand again, tugged him into the next room. While the sitting room was warm shades of red and brown, the bedroom of Harry's suite was all cool shades of blue and green. Very soft navy carpet, pale green walls marbled with darker green, and a huge four post bed with blue silk sheets and velvet curtains dominated the room. There was also a wardrobe, buffet, and chest.

"That's the bathroom. Huge tub, and a shower big enough for four people." Eloise grinned impishly as she pointed to another door.

Harry sat down on the bed, shock evident on his face. "It's just too much," he whispered.

Eloise dropped down to one knee on the floor in front of him, putting her eye level just below his. "Hey," she said, in a slightly more serious tone than Harry had heard her use yet. "Harry, Sirius wants to make up for what he lost. He knows he wasn't there for you in the past, but you're his number one priority now." She took Harry's hand and held it between both of hers. "Besides, you're the ward of one of the most ancient and noble houses of wizards that there is." She looked deeply into Harry's eyes, trying to will him to feel her sincerity.

Harry looked into her deep blue eyes. He felt her hands around his. The way she was on her knees in front of him was really making him uncomfortable. His mouth went dry, and he had to try hard not to lick his lips. Suddenly, the conjured shirt she made for him disappeared. Conjured items only lasted a short while.

A gruff voice from the door startled Harry. "Well, I was going to check on you, but you seem to be getting on alright!"

Harry jumped back as if burned. He quickly stood up and stepped away from Eloise, his eyes darting around nervously. He could feel his face burning again. "Sirius!" he shouted.

Eloise gracefully rose to her feet. "Milord," she said softly, keeping her eyes downcast. "I was just showing the young lord what was his."

Sirius barked out a laugh. "Sure you were! Knock it off, brat!"

Eloise laughed at Sirius. "Okay, fine." She looked him in the eye. "I _was _just showing him around, boss."

"Whatever," Sirius responded, winking at Harry. "So, pup, what do you think of the place?"

Harry just shook his head. "It's bloody brilliant!"


	4. Settling In

CH 4: Settling in

Anya sighed happily as she watched the muggle children in the schoolyard. She especially liked the ones jumping from the swings. They seemed to want to fly, always higher and faster. Such brave little ones, secure in their own immortality. She wished she could join them. To run and play with these children, innocent of the evil in the world, so unknowing of the heavy darkness that hovered over all of their heads. Anya slowly dropped her eyes to the ground, a single tear falling from her eyes. At that moment, she felt a subtle surge of warmth. It was as if she was being hugged and comforted by a close friend- a brother or sister. She cocked her head to the side as her eyes focused on something no-one else could see. Was it? Yes! Somewhere in the world- somewhere _nearby_- another had started to awaken! Anya shouted out a victorious whoop, and rapidly did a lap around the park, before making her way towards the source of the feeling.

In the park the children paused for a second, smiling at one another. Then went back to playing without realizing anything had happened.

B R E A K

After Eloise left to run some errands, Harry and Sirius went into the "Dursley Apartment" and braved Petunia's cold glare to speak with Dudley. Dudley claimed he had only jumped to their aid because they were the only people he knew in the area, and he didn't want to be left alone. After a short but uncomfortable visit, they rounded up Remus and settled for dinner.

As they sat at the table, food shimmered into existence in front of them, much the same way it happened at Hogwarts- though not in the same variety. Harry looked over at Sirius and asked, "who does the cooking around here?"

Sirius had wasted no time filling his plate. When Harry spoke, Sirius glanced up from his plate, grunted "house-elf," with his mouth full, and went back to shoveling food into his mouth.

Harry blinked at Sirius's short response. Seeing his confusion, Remus explained, "Paddy has come a long way since Azkaban, but he was hungry for a very long time. Dinnertime conversation for me is bound to improve now that you're here."

Harry said, "Ah, I see, I think. So, How did Sirius get cleared, anyway? He never really told me..."

Remus smiled slightly. "Well, it helps when you used to be... um, on _very_ good terms with a woman who is now the head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Amy Bones helped Mr Padfoot get in touch with a barrister and solicitor. The firm then dug up the dirt about how he was never tried. With Bones's help, they were able to present directly to the Wizengamot. It was a tragic tale of woe." Remus's voice rose in mock distress. "All about the poor rich pureblood loyally defending his friends, but being struck down by the cold hard iron arm of the law and in the madness of mass hysteria was thrown into prison with no trial whatsoever."

Sirius looked up from his plate again to bark out, "Berk!" before he dove back into his meal.

Remus just quirked an eyebrow in response, and went on. "So Dumbledore and Bones got him into a top-notch private hospital in France, where he recovered physically, and to a lesser extent, mentally. Although," Remus paused for effect, "I have to admit he's much more mentally sound now than when we were growing up."

At about that time there was a loud crash from somewhere outside the room. Sirius belched loudly, and slid back away from the table. "Nimmy!" he shouted. He grabbed Harry's arm, pulling him out of his chair. "Come on, Prongslet, you need to meet Nimmy!"

Harry smiled at his godfather's enthusiasm, but stated, "I told you not to call me Prongslet."

Sirius rolled his eyes. "Fine, Harry. Harry Harry Harry. Now lets go, before she gets loose."

"Um, gets loose?"

Harry glanced back to Remus, who had a slight smile on his face. "Go ahead, Harry. I think I'll just wait here."

Biting his lip nervously, Harry followed Sirius out of the room and towards the foyer.

B R E A K

Sirius drug Harry into the foyer at a dead run. Harry gasped as he saw a young woman tangled up in blankets and coats that had fallen out of the coat closet. They were all wrapped around her like ropes, and she was suspended with her back towards the boys, half in the closet, with only one foot touching the ground. As she struggled to get loose, her shirt rode up in back. Harry looked away blushing, then looked back at the pale expanse of bare back. Then he noticed the woman almost snarling under her breath, but quickly growing louder.

"Sirius Black thinks this is funny. Well I'll show him funny. Bloody wanker. Just wait till I get free..."

At this point, Sirius barked out his distinctive laugh as he looked back and forth between his godson and the girl.

Apparently, she heard him. Her voice took on a much sharper tone. "Let me down! Now, you bloody arsed pureblooded piece of shit!"

"Nimmy, that's no way to talk in front of a child. Besides, if you want a favor, you need to ask nicely." Sirius responded in a smooth, cultured tone of voice.

"Sirius, you git! If you don't untangle me right now, I'm going to hex your dangley bits so that they rot off! And what do you mean, in front of a" she let out a loud grunt as she hit the ground. Upon hearing the threat, Sirius had wasted no time at all in cutting her down. She then turned around and glared at Sirius, adjusting her clothing as she did. When she saw Harry, she sprang to her feet.

Or at least she tried to. Several of the long overcloaks were still tangled around her legs, and she fell flat on her face, banging her chin against the marble floor. Harry could have sworn that he heard a strange sloshing noise as it struck. When she stood up, Harry flinched away. The girl didn't have a chin! From the bottom of her mouth to her throat was almost a straight line, giving her a deformed appearance.

Sirius bowed towards Harry with a flourish. "Harry Potter, meet my favorite cousin, Nymphadora Tonks!" As he was bowing, Sirius turned around to take Tonks's hand. When he saw her face, he started laughing again.

Tonks stepped forward, taking Harry's hand. She said something that sounded about like, "preshya mesh yararry." When Harry just stared, she giggled and tossed her short black hair over her shoulder with a flick of her head. She them smiled, her heart-shaped face perfect. "Pleased to meet you, Harry," she said clearly, "only, call me Tonks. That other name is not healthy to say." As she was saying this, she fingered the handle of he wand, and shot glares at Sirius.

"Um. I'm pleased to me you too, Miss Tonks." Harry stammered.

Sirius and Tonks both cracked up at that. Seeing Harry's confused and slightly hurt expression, Sirius put his hand on Harry's shoulder. "Just Tonks, Harry. She's my cousin and she lives here too."

Harry smiled at Tonks. "Okay. How did you do that thing with your face?"

"I'm a metamorphmagus," Tonks replied perkily.

"A what?" Harry asked.

Sirius broke into the conversation with, "don't worry, Harry. It isn't contagious."

Tonks rolled her eyes. "A shape shifter. I can change my features, and to a certain degree, my height, weight, and like that." As she spoke, Tonks's hair cycled through a spectrum from purple, through blue, green, yellow, orange, then stopped at fire-engine red.

"Wicked," Harry said with a huge smile.

As they spoke, the trio made their way back into the dining room. Remus looked up and smiled as they walked in. "Sorry, Tonks," he said softly. "It was you or me, and it's every dog for himself around here."

"Wimp," Tonks muttered. She then turned back to Sirius. "So word at the office was that you had some fun today with some deez."

As Sirius regaled Tonks with his version of the Diagon Alley scuffle from earlier Remus once again took pity on Harry- who still looked confused- and leaned over to whisper, "Tonks is an auror. She must have heard through work."

"Oh. What's a deez?" Harry whispered back.

Remus grinned, took a deep breath, and yelled, "DEEZ NU," just as a spell hit him. "MMMMM" he finished. His lips were stuck together. The more he tried to shout, the thinner his lips became, till his mouth disappeared completely. He then glared at Tonks, crossing his arms across his chest.

Tonks smirked at the werewolf. "I told you before, Remus. It's not funny. It is dumb. You are not allowed to say it. Even HE understands now." She poked Sirius. "If you're nice, Auntie Tonks will give you your mouth back after dessert."

Tonks then turned and looked at Harry. "Sorry, kid, we've got to keep them in line, or we'll just have a horrible mess. Deez are Death Eaters. D. E. Get it?"

Harry snickered at Remus. "Yeah, I get it. Cool! Are you really an auror? You look kinda... young."

"Ha! Yep, I really am." Tonks responded with a grin. "I've been an auror for almost a month now."

They continued to talk for a while, moving into a living room after dessert. Before too long, Harry was yawning and trying to stay awake. Soon he was sound asleep.

"Well, I guess I'll take Harry on up and then turn in, myself." Sirius said softly. He picked Harry up and carried him upstairs.

Remus Lupin smiled softly at the tender expression on his friend's face. The wolf in him stretched contentedly, happy to be in his pack's den. He turned to the young woman beside him. "Would you care for a nightcap and a game of chess?"

Tonks smiled impishly. "You're on, wolfie!"

B R E A K

Over the next two days, Harry settled into the strange combination of a mansion and a madhouse that was his new home. He was shocked to find out that on the outside, it was an old three story brownstone townhouse that was not even a tenth of the inside size. The house let out directly onto the street on one side and a back alley on the other. Both side walls were shared with other townhomes. Best of all, though, was that it was above a bakery. Dudley and Harry made it a point to finish their morning run with a "light breakfast" of pastries and smoothies.

Harry sighed and looked around his new bedroom. He'd unpacked his trunk, and found a place for almost everything. For the first time in four years his trunk was empty. He had never had a place he could consider his before. He absently fingered the wooden flute Hagrid had given him for his birthday years ago as he thought of the changes the last week brought on. Just three weeks ago, he was at school and Professor Dumbledore was toasting Cedric at the leaving feast. Absently, Harry began to play the flute, as his thoughts drifted.

B R E A K

Remus paused on the stairs leading up to Harry's room. It was faint, but his werewolf-enhanced hearing could make out the strains of a haunting, soulful melody. It reached deep into him, where the beast waited, raging even now while it was repressed. The music reached it, and soothed him. He quietly climbed the rest of the way up. The door to Harry's suite was opened, so he slipped in. The door between the sitting room and the bedroom was closed, so Remus paused there. As he listened, he was swept up in a torrent of longing, emptiness, sorrow, loneliness, and pain.

Remus slid down the wall and sat, tears running down his face, as he relived the last fifteen years of his life. The war, darkness growing. Hogwarts, where he never should have been welcomed, but had really been the best time of his life- he had a pack... a family. But all good things must end, and they graduated. At first, they stuck together, a true Athos, Porthos, Aramis, and D'Artagnan. But as darkness covered the land, it also covered their friendship. Less than a year after school, he felt his pack shutting him out. Because of his nature, he was incapable of betraying them- the wolf would not allow him to challenge his pack- but it was that very nature as a "dark creature" that made his brothers doubt him. Then the unthinkable happened. The beta turned on not only the alpha, but on the whole pack. Sirius Black caused the slaughter of everyone Remus loved.

Remus went mad for a time. When he came to his senses, he realized he had a responsibility to the only cub in the pack. Harry was alive, and while the thought of Harry was like a knife in his heart, reminding him of what he lost and could never find again, it also gave him a purpose. He quickly signed up with the Dark Force Defense League with the understanding that he would be operating only on British soil. He became a fierce slayer of dark wizards, offering no mercy and no quarter. It was a dark time for him. While on the hunt he truly let the wolf free. When Dumbledore contacted him to teach for Harry's second year, he was much to dangerous to be around children. It was a kind of awakening- a reminder of his past life. Dumbledore was looking for someone to protect Harry. He felt that Voldemort was once again affecting the world enough to be a threat, and Remus... Remus was too much of a danger to be able to help. He was failing again.

_The melancholy sound lifted and the music began to resound with hope. It was tentative at first, a spark, an ember, but slowly swelled. _

Yes, Remus was failing again, but there was still a chance. He resigned his commission, becoming a reserve in the League. Then he started to teach himself how to interact with the world again. War veterans, after learning how to kill without remorse and being conditioned to survive, must relearn how to live in society again. It was much the same for Remus Lupin. With Harry as his motivation, he made rapid progress, and by the time Dumbledore was looking for a DADA professor for Harry's next year, he was ready.

_The hope grew and changed, becoming a victorious anthem, blaring out a challenge to the world._

Then, the impossible happened. His brother hadn't betrayed them. He was sick, wounded, but Remus would help him overcome that. They quickly sought help from people who'd been on the fringe of their pack. Amelia Bones: Sirius's on-again off-again girlfriend. Bert Aubrey: a decent Slytherin who hated dark wizards more than Sirius. Giles Clearwater: A pompous Gryffindor with a mind like a steel trap and enough political and legal knowledge to marry a muggle and still be a successful barrister. With these old friends and new people the charismatic Black and fearsome Lupin drew to them, they were quickly able to seize control of the "Black Empire" of political and economic resources under the umbrella of the Obsidian Nova Enterprises Corp. Now they had their pup back, and any dark wizards- and the rest of the world too- had better back off.

Harry moved the flute away from his lips and blinked, then shook his head as if coming out of a daze. What was that? It was like he was reading Mooney's mind. No- it was like he was feeling Mooney's feelings and thinking his thoughts. He must have fallen asleep or imagined it.

After a little thought, Harry dismissed his confusion, and decided to put one of his first Christmas presents on display in his sitting room. As he was walking to the door, someone knocked. Harry opened the door to see Remus standing there.

"Hey Harry. I'm going to need your help with something tonight," Remus said. He went on to tell Harry that Sirius was having a party tomorrow night to celebrate being free and fully cleared. It was to be a way to re-introduce the Blacks into society and begin Sirius's forays into politics.

Harry was stunned. "Sirius? Politics? What?"

Remus explained, "Well, the Blacks are an 'Ancient and Noble' house. As such, they have a hereditary seat on the Wizengamot. Dumbledore's faction can use that vote. The family also has the potential to be as influential as the Malfoys. Sirius is the last of the Blacks to carry the name. There are a few cadet branches of the family who will dispute and fight anything Paddy tries to do, but with the right friends, he should be able to solidify control."

Remus continued to explain the intricacies of family and politics in the Wizarding World until he noticed Harry's glazed over expression. "Ahh, never mind." he said. "I just need some help getting some stuff set up. We were thinking of inviting some of your friends over, too. That way you'd have something to do, as this is going to be an 'adults only' party."

Harry grinned. 'Adults only, huh. We'll see,' he thought, but all he said was, "That sounds brilliant. Who can I invite?"

Remus shrugged. "Whomever you want. Just blokes though. We aren't going to be able to chaperone you." Remus grinned at Harry. "Oh, also, I'm afraid I don't have time to set up an age line or child-repelling charms while I'm setting up all the other charms to keep guests on the main floor," Remus winked at Harry, "so you'll just have to assume I set everything up right and avoid the whole area. Just don't let Mr. Padfoot know."

Harry smiled at Remus. Tomorrow was going to be a blast!


End file.
